To Breed an Army
by wuogkat
Summary: For the "Kill a Cullen" Contest. Twenty years post Breaking Dawn Aro is up to no good.


**Title: To Breed an Army**

**Penname(s): wuogkat**

**Rating: T**

**Disclaimer: Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer. Wuogkat only wishes they were hers.**

**Summary: Twenty years post Breaking Dawn Aro is up to no good. Canon vamps. **

**Submitted for the 'To Kill a Cullen' Contest**

**Please check out the other entries here :**

**http://www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net/community/To_Kill_a_Cullen_Contest_Community/76759/**

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**A/n: Beta'd by KnittingVamp7 and Aleighy. Thank you ladies! You rock!**

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Alice had gone first. Aro made a snap decision and had her taken out while she and Rosalie were attending fashion week in Milan. Rosalie was collateral damage. Aro didn't care whether the blond female lived or died. Jasper and Emmett flew to Volterra without waiting for assistance; they were dead before they left Florence. In the meantime, Edward insisted that Bella hide. Bella refused to go without him. Thus, Edward and Bella were welcomed to LaPush. It wasn't the best hiding place but Bella could cover the Indian reservation easily with her shield. This allowed her an active roll in protecting not only the tribe which meant so much to her, but also her daughter and grandchildren who resided there. For once, a couple of vampires were seen as allies to the Quileute tribe. They had already welcomed the half-vampire bride of their chief, Jacob.

Nessie reached full maturity at seven years of age and suddenly realized that Jacob was an attractive man. She had been on a couple of dates with human boys and Nehuel had come up from the Amazon to take her out, but Jake was the only one that felt right. They just clicked together like a perfectly matched set. The two were married shortly after her seventh birthday and quickly started their family. They had six children, two of which were now the equivalent of grown men. William and Ephraim were ten and twelve and both had already reached full maturity and had gotten married. William and his wife, Laurel were expecting their first child. Nessie often teased Bella about being a great-grandmother at only forty, but Bella laughed in response and refused to acknowledge being a day over nineteen. As a matter of fact, in town, Nessie often pretended to be Bella's older sister. Bella reveled in being "Aunty Bella" in public, it gave her license to act like one of the kids.

Jacob and Nessie's children were phenomenal. It seemed that the Wolf-gene was sex-linked and dominant. Leah Clearwater was correct in her assumption that she was unable to have children due to the fact that she was a genetic anomally. Only Jacob and Nessie's male children had the ability to phase. However, unlike the other Quiluette children, they could phase at the tender age of four, which for them was more like eight. The one-quarter vampire-wolf offspring seemed to age a little more slowly than their mother. William and Ephraim were each ten when they imprinted on their wives, Laurel and Hannah. They both joined the remainder of Jacob's pack at LaPush under Leah and Seth's leadership.

Jacob and Nessie had already relocated their family to LaPush prior to Alice and Rosalie's murders. Keeping their brood of abnormally intelligent, rapidly maturing children a secret from the outside world was too difficult. So, they moved where they would be accepted as they were and no one would ask too many questions. Nessie took the news of her Aunts' death hard. She had difficulty explaining what happened to their children, Lillian in particular. Lillian had been aptly named after Aunty Rosalie. Although she looked nothing like her Aunt, Lillian had every ounce of Rose's attitude. She was a dark beauty with hazel eyes and the ability to read minds. At eight years old she was a teenager and constantly gave her parents trouble. The boys on the reservation couldn't seem to stay away from her. Rose's death crushed Lillian. She locked herself in her room and would only let Anthony, her younger brother, in to talk to her or bring her food.

Anthony was the child that took after Edward the most. He and Lillian were close like Edward and Alice had been. The boy was gorgeous. Anthony was six, going on twelve, and it was apparent that he would be a little heart breaker. He inherited every ounce of Jacob's rugged good looks but he also possessed a slight bronze sheen to his hair and green eyes that were always analyzing the world around him. He was the epitome of cool without conforming to the norms of society. Anthony played the piano just like his grandpa Edward and suddenly all of the boys on the reservation wanted to learn. His hair was sloppy and always looked like he needed to comb it, but it seemed to work for him. Anthony's older brothers, who took after their father, often worried about him, but his grandmother knew better. Bella knew that Anthony was the scholar among the boys. She and Edward fostered his love of culture.

It seemed that Bella's genetics were also passed down. Adrianna was born two years after Anthony. She was a small girl with brown hair and chocolate brown eyes. She was entirely uncoordinated and envied the gracefulness and beauty of her older siblings. Adrianna was Bella's carbon copy. The poor child was selfless to a fault and often found herself taken advantage of when playing with other children. Like Bella, she was also a shield. As soon as danger became apparent, Bella worked with Adrianna on developing her talent. She wasn't as strong as Bella, and using her shield wore her out, but she could protect one or two people from a mental attack if necessary.

Elizabeth or Lizzie, was the youngest of the Black children. She was at the equivalent of a preschooler. She was quiet but not necessarily shy. Lizzie didn't like to talk. Instead she would share pictures and thoughts with people in the same way that her mother often did. Nessie often tried to get her to speak, but the little girl saw no sense in communicating that way. Lizzie had a very close relationship with Esme and Carlisle. She retreated deeper into herself when her family uprooted and left their great-grandparents behind in favor of a more permanent home.

Bella and Edward joined the pack in LaPush to protect them and the rest of the reservation. Family was their first priority. It had taken some convincing of the council to revise the treaty and allow the two of them onto native lands. However, in the end they were considered innocuous as they were the grandparents of Chief Jacob's children. Bella and Edward could also provide a great public service by adding their abilities to those of the wolf-pack.

Esme and Carlisle discussed appealing to Sam Uley for refuge. However, Carlisle feared that he didn't have much to offer them. He'd give them his services as a doctor but many of the residents would see his presence as more of a danger than a benefit. Also, he couldn't hide forever.

As Carlisle saw it, Edward and Jacob had come up with a temporary solution to a permanent problem. The reservation was a better location than most. It held wildlife, protection, and friends who were willing to keep their secrets. However, Carlisle had to act. If a war was brewing, then he needed to contact his friends to both warn them and appeal for help. If he could gather everyone to Forks once more, then perhaps the threat of action by the Volturi could be expunged. He didn't want to leave Edward's family. His family. He and Esme would miss the birth of William and Laurel's first child, and the start of school, which was always a special occasion in the Black household. The kids were home-schooled due to their superior intelligence, and Carlisle often taught the children's science classes with Edward's assistance. Then there was leaving Lizzie, which was even more difficult. Carlisle didn't have favorites but Lizzie had latched onto him from the moment she was born. It was a hard decision but someone had to go. Ultimately, he left the decision to Esme whose moral compass pointed toward warning their allies. It seemed unfair to subject them to this danger without fair warning.

Esme and Carlisle said goodbye to their remaining family at Sea-Tac. Separating the family was a heart-wrenching decision. Nessie and Elizabeth cried when they left them at the TSA checkpoint. Elizabeth showed Carlisle and Esme one last happy image of her birthday party. Carlisle kissed her little forehead and Esme wiped the tears from the child's eyes before heading through the line. Bella sat in her car outside to avoid being spotted. She held her shield over Carlisle and Esme for as long as she could. It was the final vestige of support that she could give them. She sobbed into the seat at her inability to keep them from harm. Her gift suddenly seemed so useless. It had been decades since she had felt so helpless. Edward caressed her hair and whispered soothing words into her ear. He was prepared for their departure but his heart ached too. He wanted Carlisle and Esme to stay with them. He had lost his brothers and his sisters. Alice's death stung the most. There had to be an end to the pain and suffering that one could be expected to bear. Edward had to keep Bella safe.

The honest truth was that if given the choice Bella would have gone with them. However, she owed the wolf pack for the life of her daughter and the rest of her family. Bella had children and families to protect from the Volturi. She also had an over-protective husband who insisted on keeping her out of danger. She knew that he loved her but sometimes his nature made her feel helpless. She was positive that if they went with Carlisle and Esme they would all be safer. Aro was picking them off one by one and it would be harder for him to get to them if they were together.

The moment Carlisle and Esme Cullen flew out of Bella's protection, Aro knew. Demetri flew through the dark castle with his black cloak billowing behind him to find his master. Aro's lips twisted into a sinister smirk. He hadn't intended on taking out the entire coven. Alice's death had been necessary. He'd sent Jane and Alec to fashion week 'on vacation' with the hope of finding the clairvoyant vampire there. The decision to kill her was swift. Alec's power prevented her from using her knowledge to send a warning. The one that Aro wanted most was Renesme Black. She could breed an entire coven if she desired, and she appeared to be doing just that. He wanted to use her to breed his own army. As of yet, he had been unable to produce his own half-breed vampire. Most of his guard who were willing to try, had been unable to successfully bed a human without succumbing to the urge to feed.

Aro tapped his chin and considered what his dear old friend Carlisle could be doing. It was likely that he was searching for allies. He would find none. Aro had secured the loyalties of many of their mutual friends. Try as he might, Carlisle wouldn't find the support that he needed.

"Thank you, Demetri. Keep an eye out for them," he ordered. He turned to face the statuesque blond vampire in front of him. Tanya's golden eyes still made his stone skin crawl. They were unnatural. These vampires who fed upon the blood of animals were too human and primitive. They didn't react properly and held bonds that were too strong to break. He had been trying to do so all morning. He had already disposed of Kate and Garrett. Tanya would hopefully prove to be an ally.

"Tanya," he purred. "Dearest, it seems that I have a problem."

"I don't care about your problems," she spat.

"I think that you might." He carefully waltzed around her admiring her form. Even among vampires she was attractive. She had strong features and an athletic build that he found appealing. "It seems that we have a friend who is intent on keeping me from what I want." He touched her skin and sifted through her memories. They were like candy, so much sex and death. He could touch her and relive her early trysts with humans where intimacy led to feast over and over again. He had never tried first pleasuring himself with a meal, but he would definitely consider it after seeing first hand the enjoyment that she used to take in gulping greedily at the moment of climax.

"Edward's child?" She raised an eyebrow. She was guessing, but his wry smile told her that she'd hit the mark. Aro was a collector and his desire to collect the young Mrs. Black seemed logical; he had wanted to study her as a child and had been denied the opportunity. "What makes you think that I can deliver her?"

"Both he and Bella trust you. I'm sure that you could find a way." He caught the tenor of her thoughts shifting before she derailed them. She could find a way but the question was, would she? Where would he need to apply pressure to get her to snap? She was still too loyal to Carlisle's strange 'vegetarian' coven. "What would it take, Tanya?"

The answer was so easy, so simple. She was so human and banal. The safety of her remaining family members, Carmen and Eleazar, was all that she wanted. He could give her that. He chuckled at how easy this was going to be.

"Their safety for the half-breed," he agreed.

Tanya knew her mistake instantly and hung her head in shame. She had thought about his words and had given him the ammunition that he needed. She was powerless to control her own mind.

"If you don't deliver her, I will kill them in front of you." He ran his finger along her smooth arm one more time. "Do we have an agreement?"

"Yes," she sobbed.

"Yes, what, my pet?"

"Yes, master." She cringed.

~*~*~#~*~*~

Edward and Bella set up their household away from the rest of the residents of LaPush. Their cold, hard skin and yellow eyes were understandably disconcerting to the local population and without Alice to predict the weather they were rather limited in their ability to socialize during the day. Edward invested in some meteorological equipment and busied himself learning how to use it, while Bella protected those she could.

Carlisle's last phone call came on a Monday. Jacob and Nessie had just returned from a council meeting. They huddled at the kitchen table with their heads close together like teenagers with a secret. Nessie's hand rested on Jacob's arm. They were communicating silently while Adrianna was nearby practicing her shield, which kept Edward from eavesdropping on their conversation. However, Bella had already recognized the slight difference in scent and she could feel two people in Nessie's place under her shield. Jacob and her daughter were expecting another child. Bella saw hope as life went on despite their current dangerous situation. The phone interrupted Nessie and Jake before they could tell Edward their news.

"Hello," Edward answered in his usual musical tone.

"Edward," Carlisle whispered, as if whispering would do him any good. "It's worse than we thought." Edward tensed and stopped breathing.

Bella had begun chattering away in the background. Edward held up a hand beckoning his family to stop and listen. Jacob rolled his eyes and Bella smiled.

"What do you mean, Carlisle?" Edward scrubbed at his scalp nervously.

"Adrianna, will you go check on Lizzie for me?" Nessie caught the tone of her father's voice and saw the need to protect her daughter from potentially bad news. The little girl huffed and stormed out of the room. She knew that she'd been dismissed solely due to her age. Carlisle heard Nessie and then the sound of Adrianna's little feet stomping off through the house. He smiled at how like Bella the young girl was. When the sound had faded, he continued.

"We've been to visit several of our friends and there has been an ambush waiting with the few that we've been able to locate. Trust no one," he stated.

"What about Zafrina?" Bella's shocked question was easily heard by Carlisle.

"Her coven has disappeared. Nahuel has also vanished without a trace," he conveyed the grim news. "Liam, Maggie, Siobhan, they're all gone. Esme and I are off to find Alistair but we doubt that we will be able to track him. If he's gone to ground then there will be no finding him."

"Come back," Edward pleaded with his father even though he knew that it was in vain.

"I'll talk to Sam and get the additional permission that we need," Jacob volunteered.

"After we find Alistair," Carlisle insisted.

"Be safe," Nessie and Bella both begged. Edward turned and smiled at how much Nessie was like her mother. Nessie blushed and turned her head into Jacob's shoulder.

"We will be," Carlisle insisted.

"I love you, Grand," Nessie called.

"I love you, too, Ness. Take care of your parents for me." Carlisle smiled.

"Bye, Dad." Edward's response was melancholy. There was a finality to his words that rung in the air.

"Goodbye, son. We'll be there soon," Carlisle responded and hung up the phone. Esme smiled gently at him and he took her hand. Her presence was a comfort.

"I don't think we'll make it back to them," she sighed.

"I know." He gave her hand a squeeze. The two were resigned to their fate.

"We're not actually going to find Alistair, are we?" She asked.

"It's unlikely."

"So, what are we going to do with ourselves, Mr. Cullen?"

"Well, Mrs. Cullen, since tonight is likely to be our last night, I thought perhaps I'd show you London one last time." His smile didn't touch his eyes. It made Esme miss the way his eyes used to light up when he smiled.

"That sounds like a lovely way to spend our last night." She forced a smile and prayed that Bella and Carlisle were right, that they did have souls. The thought of Carlisle in hell was too painful to entertain.

They jumped down from the top of Tower Bridge where they had climbed to see the city one last time. Their feet hit the ground with a soft thud. Carlisle had rehashed the story about the American who had once been convinced that Tower Bridge was "London Bridge" and purchased under that misconception.

Their hands met again like two magnets drawn to each other and they resumed walking. Esme suddenly froze when the scent of vampire wafted to her on the breeze. She growled and Carlisle followed suit.

"We can't be taken alive," she reminded him.

"Fight hard. We can't give them a choice," he whispered and pulled her in for one last kiss before releasing her and moving into a more aggressive stance. "I love you."

"I love you too." Esme sank down to a crouch and prepared herself for the fight.

They were lucky Alec had not been dispensed to collect them. Instead, they faced Corin and Santiago. Had Alec come they would have been incapacitated and dragged to Volterra without a chance to fight. The two moved swiftly and looked like pieces of the night in their dark grey cloaks.

Esme faced off with Corin. He was a short Italian vampire with a violent streak and a chip on his shoulder. The fight was short. Corin overpowered Esme and pulled her head off cleanly, but not before Esme bought Carlisle enough time to remove several chunks of flesh from Santiago. Her scream echoed off of the bridge and could be heard for miles.

The scream shattered Carlisle's silent heart into a million pieces. His eyes stung with venom that refused to fall and he abandoned rational thought. His mate's death brought out a new, less civilized impulse from the vampire. Carlisle tackled Santiago and sliced at his throat with his teeth, relishing in the tearing sound. Santiago was stronger, though, and he quickly rolled Carlisle over and pinned him to the hard ground. Small pebbles were ground to dust by his back.

"You don't have to die," Santiago grunted.

"I'm not going to Volterra," Carlisle growled and flipped Santiago off of him.

Corin had begun to incinerate Esme's body. The smell of her burning flesh seared through Carlisle's chest. He popped up off the ground and rounded on Santiago. They moved smoothly in the age-old dance of warriors, stalking each other. Corin joined them. Carlisle spun to kick Corin and found his leg dismembered before it reached the other vampire. The pain was sharp but he refused to acknowledge it. After a few more strikes Carlisle was reduced to kindling and the two guard members were on their way back to Volterra.

Aro was not pleased with Corin and Santiago's failure. They had been ordered to bring the couple in so that he could glean as much information from Carlisle's mind about Renesme as he could before disposing of his old friend himself. Without Carlisle's knowledge, Aro would have to do his own research and that would take time. In addition, he didn't know where to send his newly acquired spy. It would take time to track the remaining Cullen coven members down. Surely Edward wasn't so foolish as to keep his family near Seattle where Carlisle and Esme had flown away from weeks prior. He smashed a marble bust in frustration and called for Demetri to clean up the mess that Santiago and Corin had caused. Their incompetence would cost them.

Weeks later, Tanya arrived at the border to LaPush; Edward and Bella had told Kate about Nessie and Jacob's move to the Indian reservation. That was before Aro summoned the Denali clan, before there was danger. Tanya both hoped for and dreaded the possibility they still lived there. Her journey seemed longer that it actually was; internally, she was at war over her task. Delivering Renesme Black up to Aro would be worse than a death sentence. Any intentions that the ancient vampire had toward her friend's daughter would be less than pleasant; that much she knew for certain. Her choice was a difficult one. Either the remainder of her family died or she handed the girl over. Neither was a choice that she could stomach. She would attempt to follow Aro's orders, but if Edward discovered the truth she would beg for him to kill her.

Tanya stopped at the border and waited for the patrol to find her. If the dogs were smart, then she wouldn't have to wait long. Leaving the border unprotected when they knew what was out there waiting for them would be unwise. She hoped that Edward was smarter than that. She was relieved when moments later she heard the sound of growling.

"I am a friend," she stated. "I've come seeking sanctuary from the Volturi."

Three wolves materialized out of the forest. A giant russet-colored dog barked and nodded to the other two, then he raced off deeper into native territory. Jacob had recognized Tanya. She was present twenty years prior for the battle that almost occurred in the baseball clearing. He raced to Edward and Bella's home on the far side of the reservation. If he was going to allow another vampire onto the reservation, there had to be a good reason for it. Edward would have to thoroughly vet her first and be sure she was indeed a friend. There had been some changes in allegiances according to Carlisle and he wasn't going to risk the families the pack protected. He didn't bother to phase when he arrived and called out to his father-in-law.

_Edward, we have company. _He showed Edward an image of Tanya sitting at the border_. Ephraim and William are with her._

Edward gave Bella a quick kiss at the door and jogged out to meet him. The two regarded each other.

_I think you know what I need you to do, _Jacob thought. Jacob hated the necessity of interrogating someone who should be counted as a friend, but he had to be sure. At least with Edward's assistance it would be humane.

"I do," Edward stated. "I'm as dedicated to the pack's safety as you are."

_I know. There's no need to remind me of that__,__ old man. I just want to be sure that your feelings toward your __ex-girlfriend__ don't get in the way. _He chuffed at the vampire.

"She was never my girlfriend," Edward denied the allegation for the millionth time knowing that Jacob would never let it go.

_That's not how Bella tells it._

"Are we going to go talk to Tanya or are we waiting for the Volturi to swoop in and attack?" He groaned.

Jacob led the way. It was fortunate that Carlisle's final warning hadn't gone unheeded. Edward questioned his old friend and discovered a thought that she tried to keep hidden. Tanya was not accustomed to hiding things from Edward. Speaking without words was how they would communicate during his visits to Alaska. But perhaps Tanya wanted him to know the real reason for her visit.

Tanya sobbed when she gave up the information. She could only beg her friend to make her death quick once she was finished. She communicated to him the shame that she felt at even considering harming his daughter in any way. It was with great difficulty that Edward nodded his head at Jacob. He ran through the forest to avoid the sounds of her death wail and werewolf teeth on vampire flesh. She showed him what her failure would mean. Edward would deal with the consequences of his actions. He traded the lives of Tanya's family for the security of his own.

Bella saw the cloud of purple smoke and she knew that they'd been betrayed. When Edward returned to her, he looked like death. His eyes were vacant. They had lost so much. He could barely speak but he relayed what he had seen from Tanya's mind. Carlisle and Esme were dead and Aro's objective was their daughter. They would have to fight this time to protect Nessie and her children from becoming lab rats and breeding stock for Aro. Bella held her husband until his shaking body finally calmed. She dropped her inner shield and showed him hope. They were strong. The twin packs at LaPush were capable. They had a chance to survive and they were going to take it.


End file.
